Kemper Profiler Basics EN-DE 2.0.pdf

8/18/2019 Kemper Profiler Basics EN-DE 2.0.pdf

1/136

KEMPER PROFILERThe Basics & Profiling Guide 2013


2/136

Legal notice

This manual, as well as the software and hardware described in it, is furnished under license and may

be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. The content of this manual is fur-

nished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice and should not construed as acommitment by Kemper GmbH.

Kemper GmbH assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in

this book. Except as permitted by such license, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, by

smoke signals or otherwise without the prior written permission of Kemper GmbH.

Kemper Profiling Amplifier is a trademark of Kemper GmbH. All other trademarks contained herein are

the property of their respective owners. All features and specifications subject to change without no-tice.

Please read the safety instructions on page 61.

© Copyright 2013 Kemper GmbH. All rights reserved.

www.kemperamps.com

http://www.kemperamps.com/http://www.kemperamps.com/


3/136

3

Table Of Contents8 Okay, so what did I just buy?

9 What is profiling?

10 Getting started

More on connecting your gear

Choose your rig

Stomps

Stack

Effects

14 Front Panel controls

Rig navigation section (1)

Type knob (2)

Browse knob (3)

Page navigation (4)

Exit button (5)

On/Off button (6)

Lock button (7)

Copy and paste buttons (8)

Store button (9)

Gain knob(10)

Input button (11)

Input LED (12)

Noise gate knob (13)


4/136

Kemper Profiler4

Output/Master button (14)

Master volume knob (15)

Volume knob (16)USB (17)

23 Back panel overview

Main Output section (1)

Monitor Out section (2)

Direct Output/Send (3)

Return and Alternative Input (4)Power connector (5)

USB (6)

Pedals and switches (7)

MIDI (8)

S/PDIF digital I/O(9)

Speaker Output(10)

27 Power Amplifier

Power Amp Switch

Power Amp Booster

29 Using the tuner

30 Building a rig

Stack section

Amplifier module

EQ button

Cabinet button

Effects section

Tap tempo


5/136

5

37 Configure your system preferences

System button

Module button behavior

Using a MIDI pedal to switch rigs

Rig button

Quick button

39 Performance mode

Editing PerformancesSwitching Performances with a MIDI Foot Controller

41 Updates, backup and sharing sounds

Updating the operating system

Creating and restoring backups

Importing rigs, performances and local presets

43 Kemper Profiler and MIDI

Profiling Guide

46 Profiling an amp

General considerations

50 Making connections

Connections for profiling a hardware guitar ampConnections for profiling a combination of amp and stomp box

Connections for profiling a computer-based guitar amp simulation


6/136

Kemper Profiler6

54 Taking a profile

Evaluating the Profile

Refining the profile

The resulting profile

Under the hood

Legal

62 Communications and Safety Regulation Information

Declaration of conformity

Communication Statement

Important Safety Instructions

Notiz/Note


7/136

7

The Basics


8/136

Kemper Profiler8

Okay, so what did I just buy?

First of all, thank you for choosing the Kemper Profiler — Kemper Profiler for short. We’ve no doubt that

once you realize everything it can do, you’ll be as thrilled with it as we are. We designed the Kemper Pro-

filer to be a complete solution for all your guitar playing needs. You can use it just like you would a regular

amplifier, or you could use it as a multi-effects unit or even as the front end for your guitar-based studio.

Nearly all digital guitar amps available today offer the same features — simulations of classic and modern

guitar amplifiers and stomp boxes, usually with some digital and studio effects thrown in for good mea-

sure. The Kemper Profiler is the first digital guitar amp that doesn’t simply include digital versions of guitar

amps, but lets you make a “profile” of your own guitar amp to use inside the Kemper Profiler — as well as

load profiles of other guitarists’ amplifiers into your Kemper Profiler, which gives you not just a simulation,

but their exact digital sound!

We hope you’ll find operating the Kemper Profiler straightforward, but if you need more information

please check out our manuals. We call the guide you’re reading “The Basics” because it will show you

around and give you all the information you need to get started and find your own tone. We recommendthat you read through this with your guitar and Kemper Profiler right in front of you - this way you can

try out everything as soon as you learn it. Later in this book, the Profiling Guide will help you become an

expert in creating your own amp profiles, and is a must read if you want to add your own amps and guitar

rigs. Lastly, check out the Reference Manual for an explanation of every single parameter of the Kemper

Profiler, and a deeper insight into many of the features. It does not repeat the information contained here,

in The Basics, so both documents should be considered essential reading. The Reference Manual is avail-

able as a .pdf (English language only) from our website, and will be updated regularly alongside any soft-

ware updates for the Kemper Profiler.

We update our documentation on a regular basis. The latest and greatest can be found here:

www.kemper-amps.com /start/

We recommend you check back frequently. But before we start to explore the exciting possibilities of this

technical miracle let’s have a word about what sets the Kemper Profiler apart from all the other amps: The

Profiling process!

http://www.kemper-amps.com/http://www.kemper-amps.com/


9/136

WHAT IS PROFILING? 9

What is profiling?

Do you have a favorite setting on a favorite amp that produces your favorite sound? Would you like to be

able to get that identical sound from the Kemper Profiler, and not have to bring your amp to the rehearsal,

gig or studio? The method by which you can get that favorite sound into the Kemper Profiler is what we

call “profiling”.

If you want a more technical description: the Kemper Profiler analyzes the sonic characteristics of a refer-

ence amplifier. This process allows it to faithfully recreate the characteristic sound of virtually any guitar

amp, and adopt the behavior and interaction of the components of the analyzed amplifier.

With the Kemper Profiler it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to match the sound of the original amp — or

even enhance the original sound by using onboard features. And the Kemper Profiler doesn’t just capture

the sound of your guitar amp head alone; you can also capture the sound of the cabinet and the micro-

phones (including the microphone distance and angle). This means that the complex sound of a specific

setup can be analyzed, recreated and stored. In other words, the resulting Kemper Profiler profile is all

you’ll need to take your entire guitar rig with you everywhere you go.


10/136

Kemper Profiler10

Getting started

Okay, enough talk — let’s plug in and get playing!

1. Connect your guitar to the INPUT on the right side of the front panel.

2. Connect the MAIN OUTS on the rear side to the inputs of your mixer.

3. Power the unit on by bringing the chicken head switch to the BROWSE position.

Immediately after the startup screen you will be prompted to set the time and date and enter your name.

Do not skip this procedure, because any new sound that you store in the device memory will be tagged

with both your name as the rig author and the correct date; this will help it to be found easily later and to

be listed in an appropriate order. That’s it! It’s time to start browsing presets and playing some guitar.

More on connecting your gear

The Kemper Profiler is equipped with a studio-grade analog input section followed by a state-of-the-art

A/D stage to get the best possible sound. Once your guitar signal has been processed, the high-quality

D/A stage ensures that you’ll get the best sound quality into your speaker rig. You’ll notice that the Kem-

per Profiler offers multiple inputs and outputs in both analog and digital formats, which we’ll describe in

more detail down below. We included all this connectivity so you can use the Kemper Profiler as a central

hub in your studio to connect your guitar to a variety of other amps, effects and recording gear and use

the Kemper Profiler to switch among them.

In case you have any hum-related issues in your studio or stage, we provide ground lift switches for the

analog outputs.

If you want to use the Kemper Profiler on stage you can connect a power amp to the MONITOR OUTPUTs.

If you want to make your own profiles you will need to connect your reference amplifier using the DIRECT

OUT and the LOOP RETURN inputs. More details on profiling are provided both later in this manual, and in

more detail in the Profiling Guide. In addition, the DIRECT OUTs can be used in conjunction with the LOOP

RETURNs to connect to the effects loop of an external amp, or to connect any external effect unit, such as

your favorite stomp box.


11/136

GETTING STARTED 11

You can connect two pedals to control parameters such as volume or individual stomp parameters. Finally,

the Kemper Profiler comes with USB connectors so you can connect it to your computer to transfer data

and update the firmware.

Choose your rig

A complete signal chain is called a “rig”. Rigs consist of three sections located in the upper half of the pan-

el. The signal flow begins with the Input stage, and then moves through the three processing sections at

the top of the front panel of controls, and finally the OUTPUT stage. The order of the sections from left to

right represents the signal flow inside the Kemper Profiler. Each section consists of three to four modules.

Each of the buttons in the signal flow gives you a unique and intuitive way to manage your sound. By

pressing a corresponding button, you activate each module or section. Holding the button a little bit lon-

ger will focus the module and show its parameters in the display. In the lower line of the display you see up

to four parameters that can be controlled by the soft knobs underneath. Tweak the knobs to change your

sound. If this module offers more than four parameters, you can navigate between pages using the Page

buttons. If you want to return to the main page, press EXIT.

If you changed a parameter setting, but want to return to the previous value, you can use the UNDO but-

ton on the left side of the display. It will always revert your most recent action. The REDO button will revert

the action of the UNDO button.

In Browse mode you can select the desired rig using the RIG buttons on the right side of the front panel.

The LEFT and RIGHT buttons will advance in single steps, while the UP and DOWN buttons will changerigs in larger steps. You can also use the BROWSE knob above the right side of the display to see eight

rigs simultaneously, as well as scroll through the list of all available rigs. You can change the sequence of

rigs by using the soft button “Sort by ...” to sort them by date or author, and then load the selected rig

with soft button “Load”.

Once you have found a rig that you like, you can use the soft knobs underneath the display to change the

gain and the EQ of the rig. These controls display their current value on the LED collar around the knobs.


12/136

Kemper Profiler12

Stomps

The first section, labeled “STOMPS”, is for your stomp box effects. This section offers four stomp box slotswhich are represented by the four buttons labeled A, B, C, and D. Here you can place the built-in stomp

effects in any order and configuration you’d like. These effects are applied before the signal reaches the

STACK section.

♦ Stomp LED color coding

You’ll notice that the stomp LEDs aren’t simply lit green or not, but have many different colors. That’s be-cause these LEDs use color to help you identify which kind of algorithm is being used for each stomp.

Stomp algorithms are color coded like this:

Distortion Red

Wah Orange

Chorus Blue

Phaser & Flanger Purple

Compressor Cyan

EQ Yellow

Delay Green

Effect Loop White

You can change the algorithm for a stomp that is shown in the display by rotating the TYPE knob above

the left side of the display to scroll through the available algorithms. The BROWSE knob above the right

side of the display can be used to select items from lists of “local presets” that are available for every

stomp. Local presets are settings for a specific type of module (stomps and effects), stored independent

from the rig itself.


13/136

GETTING STARTED 13

Finally, you can select more stomps and effects in the EFFECTS section, and change the settings of the

delay and reverb using their dedicated knobs.

Stack

In the middle of this signal flow, you’ll find the “stack” section with the buttons for AMPLIFIER, EQ (equal-

izer) and CABINET. The stack section represents the raw virtual guitar amplifier as defined by the profile.

In the stack section, you can freely combine amps and cabinets by holding their respective buttons tobring them into focus, and then scroll through the available local presets using the BROWSE knob.

Effects

Here, you can add more built-in effects to the signal, after it has passed through the amplifier and virtual

cabinet. The delay and reverb module in the effects section have a fixed position and purpose. The knobs

underneath the signal flow give you direct access to the EFFECT MIX of the delay and reverb, as well as for

DELAY FEEDBACK and REVERB TIME.

The X and MOD modules offers you a further choice of effects. We recommend you place a modulation

effect into the MOD module, if you intend to use one in your rig, as you have direct access to its RATE and

INTENSITY parameters with the line of knobs underneath.

✔The stomp, stack and effect section can be stored as an individual local preset. To recall an entire stomp,stack or effect section, hold the respective section button and browse through the local section presets

using the BROWSE knob.


14/136

Kemper Profiler14

Front Panel controls

Profiler Head:

Profiler Rack:

TAP

STOMPS STACK EFFECTS

PERFORM

TUNER

PROFILER

BROWSEROFF

VOLUMEGAIN

SYSTEM

UNDO

INPUTHEADPHONE

STORE

TYPE BROWSE

REDO

RIG QUICK ON/OFF

EXIT

PAGE

LOCK COPY PASTE

INPUT A

B C

D AMPLIFIER

EQ

CABINET X

MOD DELAY

REVERB MASTER

MOD DELAY REVERB

RAT E I N

T ENS I T Y F E E

DBAC K MIX MIX T IME

M A S T E

R V O L U M

E N O

I SE G AT E

RIG

PROFILING

AMPLIFIER

PROFILER HEAD

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

86

4

1

2 3

5

7

9

DELAY

F E E

DBAC K MIX

REVERB

T IME MIX

HEADPHONE INPUT

AB C

D XMO D D ELA Y

REVERBCABINET

EQ

AMPLIFIER

OUTPUT

RIG

GAIN

UNDO REDO PAGE

VOLUME

BROWSE

ON/OFFEXIT LOCK COPY PASTESYSTE M R IG Q UICK STOR E

TAPUSB

TYPE

M A S T

E R V O L U M E

INPUT

N O I

SE G AT E

PERFORM

TUNER

PROFILER

BROWSER

PROFILING AMPLIFIER

STOMPS STACK EFFECTS

PROFILER RACK

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

86

4

1

23

5

7

917


15/136

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS 15

We already mentioned some of the buttons and knobs in the previous section, when we showed you how

to adjust the various effects and settings within the upper half of the front panel. Below is a short explana-

tion of what all of the front panel controls do

Rig navigation section (1)

Here you can navigate through the rigs. LEFT and RIGHT buttons will switch sequentially, while the UP and

DOWN buttons will change in larger steps. A newly-selected rig is instantly recalled.

Type knob (2)

When an effect or stomp is in the focus, the TYPE knob will select between different types of effect algo-

rithms. For example, in stomp edit this knob will select distortions, compressor and modulations among

others.

✔When you switch between similar effects types, you will notice that parameters common to these effects

will retain their values; this is to make the choice of algorithm easier. For example, you can make a dedi-

cated setting for a Wah effect, and then step through the various Wah types; the effect will change, but

settings for the various ranges and Wah pedal control will remain the same. You can also switch the type

between phaser and flanger, to check the different impact of these two algorithms, and the modulation

scheme will remain unchanged.

In Browse Mode you can select from a number of different “Views”. Each View filters the displayed rigs, to

help simplify the selection.

All Rigs No special view, you can see all rigs in your device.

Current Author Only rigs by the Author of the last selected rig will be displayed.

Favorites Only those rigs marked as favorites will be displayed. You can mark and unmark rigs as

favorites by holding the RIG button for two seconds.


16/136

Kemper Profiler16

Last Imported Only shows the rigs that you have imported recently.

My Rigs Only shows the rigs that you have made your own (identified by your author name).

Browse knob (3)

In Browse mode this knob can be used to quickly browse the list of available rigs. In Performance mode, it

can be used to quickly browse the list of available performances. Turn the BROWSE knob to display a list

of available items; further turns will select between them.

When an effects module is in focus, this knob selects between the local presets. In other words, it chooses

between different presets for distortion stomps, reverb settings, etc. You can also store your own local pre-

sets by using the STORE button.

✔ Note: Remember the difference between turning TYPE and BROWSE: changing the Type will only change

the effect algorithm while the parameters will stay the same; browsing effects with BROWSE will load new

sets of parameters, including the respective Type setting.

Page navigation (4)

When a module is in focus, these buttons will switch between pages if more than one page is available for

a given module.

Exit button (5)

This button is used to return to the “play” page. Also, you can use EXIT to cancel an operation.


17/136


On/Off button (6)

This button switches the currently selected module or section on and off. The light of the module or sec-tion button shows you if a module is active or bypassed. You can also switch a module on and off by press-

ing the module button itself.

Lock button (7)

The LOCK button will prevent a section or a module from being changed when you make rig changes. Inother words, if you want to preserve all the settings for a module or section, press the Lock button. You

could also refer to a module as being “global” when locked.

Let’s say you want to lock a Wah effect on stomp A. To do this, choose or dial your desired Wah effect and

press LOCK, while the Wah effect is still in focus. Now you can switch rigs as often as you want. The Wah

will stay on stomp A until you unlock it again.

Another example would be to lock the reverb in its bypassed state, to make sure that all the rigs will sound

dry for the rest of the session. To do this, bring the reverb into focus by pressing REVERB for half a sec-

ond. Then switch it off, and press LOCK. This way, you can prevent the reverb from being switched on by

the next change of rig.

You can also use the lock function creatively to find new combinations between several sections. For ex-

ample: you can lock the stack section once you have found your favorite amp/cabinet combo, and then

switch rigs, so you can try this amp with stomp and effects from other rigs.

Locking a module will only prevent it from being changed when you select a different rig. However you

can still edit parameters of locked modules as usual. And you can still browse and recall local presets for

locked modules.

To get an overview about the lock state of the modules: press and hold LOCK, and the status of the button

LEDs will change - all locked modules will be lit, while all non-locked modules remain unlit. To lock or un-

lock individual modules, press their respective buttons while holding the LOCK button.


18/136

Kemper Profiler18

Copy and paste buttons (8)

Use the COPY and PASTE buttons to grab a module and copy its data to another similar location. Forexample, you can copy and paste the settings of one stomp to another, either within the same rig, or an-

other rig entirely. To do this, select a module and press COPY. Next, select a destination module and press

PASTE. Voilà!

In general, you can use common sense to determine if the Kemper Profiler will let you copy settings from

one module to another. For example, you cannot copy the reverb settings to the amp module. However, it

is possible to copy a Stomp to slot X or MOD in the effects section. Go ahead and try whatever you want;

you will be alerted if what you’re attempting is not possible.

Store button (9)

Use the STORE button on the left side of the display to save any changes you have made to a module or

rig.

STORE allows you to save a rig or a module to the permanent memory.

Pressing Store in Browse mode will offer you three different options using the soft buttons: “Replace”

will overwrite the currently selected rig with the new version while keeping the original name, “Store as”

will save the rig under a new name while keeping the original rig as well, and “Rename” will allow you to

change the name of the actual rig.

When you’ve got an effects module in focus and press STORE you are given the option to save either the

settings of the currently selected module as a local preset, or to save the entire rig. Choose Soft Button Ato create a new local preset and to dial in an appropriate name.

Your local preset can be found and reloaded later by turning BROWSE, when you have a similar effect in

focus. In the next step you are able to edit the name of the rig.


19/136


Soft Button #1 Insert a space to the left of the selected character.

Soft Button #2 Clear the selected space or character.

Soft Knob #1 Toggle between upper case and lower case letters.

Soft Knob #4 Scroll through the available characters.

Press STORE again to complete the procedure.

Gain knob(10)

The GAIN knob controls the amount of distortion and covers an extremely wide range from ultra-clean to

totally distorted. The GAIN control allows for the same large range on all profiles, even if the original amp

has a more limited gain range.

The gain parameter compensates for the loss in level with any amount of gain reduction. You can turn

the gain value to zero for every amp profile and the result will be a totally undistorted and uncompressed

sound that has the same perceived loudness as the fully distorted version.

Input button (11)

Press this button to enter the input section where you set the input sensitivity for your guitar. There are

two parameters in this section: “Clean Sense” and “Distorted Sense”. Each one can be modified using a

dedicated soft knob. The NOISE GATE, with its dedicated knob, also belongs to the input section.

♦ Clean Sense

Different types of guitars produce different output levels depending on their pickups and string gauge: for

example, humbucker pickups generate higher voltages compared to single coils, and active guitars gener-ate even hotter signal levels. If you feel that clean sounds are either very loud or very soft compared to dis-


20/136

Kemper Profiler20

torted sounds, you can adjust “Clean Sense” to a level where clean sounds have the same perceived loud-

ness as distorted sounds. “Clean Sense” determines the volume of clean sounds, but not the way the amp

or the effects are driven. A low level guitar output stays cleaner; a hot guitar will still distort more easily.

Extremely hot guitars can generate unwanted distortion, also indicated by a red Input LED. To prevent this,

turn down “Clean Sense” a bit.

♦ Distortion Sense

Distortion Sense should normally stay at zero (middle) position. Every rig will react as if you have pluggedyour guitar to the original amplifier.

If you feel that your guitar tends to drive the distortion too hot (or too soft) for the majority of preset rigs,

then calibrate your guitar by adjusting “Distorted Sense” accordingly.

✔ Note: Clean Sense is not a simple input gain; you will notice that it does not affect the gain of a distorted

sound. Distortion Sense is also not a simple booster, as it does not affect the gain of clean sounds. Neither

of these parameters colours the sound.

The input section is locked by default. The settings will be relevant for every rig or performance until you

decide to unlock it. If you unlock this section, the input settings will be individually saved and recalled per

rig. Alternatively, you can leave the input section locked, and create local presets for individual guitars. You

can then switch between these presets independently of switching rigs.

For example: if you want to use different guitars, you can create a customized local preset for each. When

you switch guitars, simply select the respective local input preset, and the rest of the rig will remain un-

changed. Remember: the input section is locked by default, therefore changing rigs will not affect it.

Input LED (12)

The LED reflects the level of the input signal. Green is OK, yellow is still OK, red is too high.


21/136


Noise gate knob (13)

This knob controls the NOISE GATE, which eliminates the noise and hum of your guitar in a very smart

way. Turn the NOISE GATE knob to the right, until noise and hum have disappeared; do not turn it beyond

that point, as this might alter the sound of your guitar. When set to the appropriate position, you will no-

tice that the noise gate is capable of eliminating noise and hum, even when the strings still sound. There is

no need for an additional release control as in classic noise gates. The noise gate settings can be stored as

part of a rig.

With the chicken-head set to Profiler mode, the noise gate will also work with the connected amplifier, but

without interfering with the result.

Output/Master button (14)

This button brings the Output settings into focus. These are:

• Volume settings for different outputs • Volume Link buttons to link and unlink the individual volumes to the master volume knob

• Output Sources to feed the outputs with different signals

• Separate Main Equalizer and Monitor Equalizer

• “MonitorCabOff”, a global switch to bypass the virtual speaker cabinet individually for the Monitor Output

By engaging “MonitorCabOff” you can run the Kemper Profiler directly to a power amp driving a guitar

cabinet on stage, while the Main Outputs still carry the full signal, including the virtual speaker, to be con-

nected to the front mixing desk.

All the Output settings are global (or “locked”) and are therefore not saved with the rig, but like all other

modules, you can save local presets for the Output settings. Store and use individual local presets for spe-

cific adjustments to suit different venues, studios or rehearsal rooms.

✔ Note: Read more about the Output settings and special applications in the “Reference Manual”


22/136

Kemper Profiler22

Master volume knob (15)

“Master Volume” is always global, and therefore not stored with a rig. To control headphone volume, please

use the dedicated soft control in the output section, which can be accessed by pushing the OUTPUT but-

ton. Changing the volume doesn’t affect the color of sound.

Volume knob (16)

VOLUME controls the relative volume of a rig, and is stored as a part of it. Use this control to level out vol-ume differences between rigs. Again, changing the volume doesn’t affect the color of sound.

USB (17)

(Profiler Rack Only). Use the USB host port to connect USB sticks for backups and OS updates. See “Up-

dates, backup and sharing sounds” for details.


23/136

BACK PANEL OVERVIEW 23

Back panel overview

Profiler Head:

Profiler Rack:

RETURN INPUT ALTERNATIVE INPUT

DIRECT OUTPUT / SEND

MONITOR OUTPUT MAIN OUTPUT

GROUND

LIFT

GROUND

LIFT

GROUND

LIFT

LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

GROUND

LIFT

S/PDIF MIDI SWITCH / PEDAL NETWORK USB

OUT IN

OUT INTHRU1 2

WARNING: DO NOT OBSTRUCT VENTILATION GRILLSATTENTION: NE PAS OBSTRUER LES GRILLES DE VENTILATION

SPEAKER OUTPUT

8 - 16 Ohm

ETLLISTED

CONFORMSTO

ULSTD 60950-1

CERTIFIED TOCAN/CSASTD

C22.2NO.60950-1

!

POWER

AC ~ 100-125V or ~ 190-245Vmax. 10A / 50Hz-60Hz

OUTPUT POWER: 8 OHM: 600W RMS / 16 OHM: 300W RMS

Dedicated speaker/cabinet output.Do not connect this output to any groundedequipment, such as a power soak or DI box -otherwise severe damage will occur.

123

4

5

6789

10

RETURN INPUT ALTERNATIVE INPUT

GROUND

LIFT

DIRECT OUTPUT /

SEND

GROUND

MONITOR OUTPUT

GROUND

LIFT

MAIN OUTPUT

LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

GROUND

LIFT

S/PDIF

OUT IN

MIDI

OUT INTHRUSWITCH / PEDAL NETWORK USB

1 2

WARNING: DONOT OBSTRUCTVENTILATIONGRILLSATTENTION: NEPAS OBSTRUERLES GRILLESDE VENTILATION

ETLLISTED

CONFORMS TOULSTD 60950-1CERTIFIED TO

CAN/CSASTDC22.2NO.60950-1AC ~ 100-125V or ~ 190-245V

max. 10A / 50Hz-60Hz

SPEAKER OUTPUT

8 - 16 Ohm

!Dedicated speaker/cabinet output.

Do notconnectthis outputto any groundedequipment,suchas apowersoak orDI box-

otherwiseseveredamagewill occur.

OUTPUTPOWER:8 OHM:600WRMS/ 16OHM:300WRMS

123

4

5

6789

10

K P fil24


24/136

Kemper Profiler24

Now that we’ve gone over the front panel, let’s give you a basic overview of what you’ll find on the back

panel.

Main Output section (1)

This is your MAIN STEREO out. Use these outputs to connect to a mixing desk in a recording studio, or

to the front of house mixer in a live situation. These outputs deliver the entire rig: amp, cabinet and all ef-

fects. You have a choice of XLR (symmetrical) or quarter-inch jack (not symmetrical). The XLR outputs

are protected against 48V phantom power fed by a mixing desk. However you should avoid to feed phan-

tom power into the Kemper Profiler to get the best audio quality. Like all inputs and outputs it offers a

GROUND LIFT to prevent a hum loop.

Monitor Out section (2)

Use this mono output to connect the Kemper Profiler to a stage monitor with its own level controls. This

output also has its own GROUND LIFT.

You can also connect this output to a power amp and a regular guitar cabinet. In this case, you need to

switch the cabinet simulation off, using the soft button “Monitor Cab Off” in the output page, to prevent

unwanted coloration created by running a speaker-emulated signal through a guitar cabinet.

Direct Output/Send (3)

This carries the direct output signal in glorious mono. The main purpose for this output is to feed signals

into the reference amp while profiling. But it can do more than just that: you can also use the DIRECT

OUTPUT in combination with the RETURN INPUT to create an effects loop. In this case, the DIRECT OUT-

PUT becomes a mono send. If you’re not using this output as part of an effects loop, it will carry the origi-

nal guitar signal. So, if you want to record your guitar dry, connect the DIRECT OUTPUT to the recording

device or audio interface input.



25/136


✔ Note: The output purposes described here are just the standard settings. You can change the signal sourc-

es individually for each output in the Output Menu; e.g. you can set the Main Output to only deliver the

wet Delay and Reverb signal, while the Direct Output carries the pure amp sound without effects. Refer tothe Reference Manual for more information.

Return and Alternative Input (4)

Use these inputs to connect the output of external equipment with your Kemper Profiler. Their main use is

for profiling - use either input as the return from the reference amp. Use the quarter-inch input to take aline-level signal from a digital amp, speaker simulation or subgroup of a mixing desk. Use the XLR INPUT

as appropriate, for instance with a microphone. Please note that the Kemper Profiler’s XLR input does not

provide phantom power.

As mentioned previously, the RETURN can also be used to create an external, mono effects loop in com-

bination with the DIRECT OUT. Select “Loop Mono” or “Loop Distortion” in one of the stomps to include a

hardware effect in your signal flow. In the EFFECTS section (X or MOD) you can also select “Loop Stereo”.

In this case, the RETURN works in combination with the ALTERNATIVE INPUT to achieve a stereo loop re-

turn.

Power connector (5)

Connect this to your wall outlet using the supplied power cable. The internal, universal power supply ac-

cepts 100 - 240V AC via the usual IEC inlet.

USB (6)

Use the USB host port to connect USB sticks for backups and OS updates. See “Updates, backup and

sharing sounds” for details.

Kemper Profiler26


26/136

Kemper Profiler26

Pedals and switches (7)

You can connect a variety of pedals and switches to control several functions. Pedal #2 is the volume ped-

al by default. When you connect a foot switch, use the parameters in System mode to assign that pedal to

perform a variety of functions. Pedal #1 defaults to the control of Wah-type effects.

MIDI (8)

Use these ports to connect the Kemper Profiler to MIDI equipment. You can send MIDI program changesto the MIDI Input of the Kemper Profiler to switch between rigs, and control changes to switch and control

effects. If you send MIDI Clock to the Kemper Profiler, it will instantly sync its tempo, so tempo dependent

effects like delay or tremolo will adapt their timing.

S/PDIF digital I/O(9)

This is a digital input and output that can be used to connect the Kemper Profiler to other S/PDIF compat-

ible devices such as certain computers and audio interfaces.

Speaker Output(10)

Kemper Profiler PowerRack / PowerHead only. See Power Amp chapter for details.

POWER AMPLIFIER 27


27/136

POWER AMPLIFIER 27

Power Amplifier

The optional built-in power amplifier allows you to connect your Kemper Profier to all kinds of 8 or 16 Ohm

guitar cabinets, as well as passive linear cabinets. It is internally cabled to the Monitor Output, so you can

use all the features of the Monitor Output for the power amplifier as well. Please refer to the “Output”

chapter of this manual for more detailed information.

If you intend to drive a guitar speaker cabinet, remember to activate our “CabDriver” algorithm, by setting

“MonitorCabOff” in the Master/Output menu. CabDriver bypasses the cabinet simulation for the Monitor

Output, while the Main Outputs feed the full studio sound to the main mixing desk of the live venue. TheMonitor Output is still available and will carry the same signal that is fed to the power amp.

You will find more settings for the power amplifier on the dedicated page of the Master/Output menu:

Power Amp Switch

Switches the power for the built-in power amp. There is no specific need to switch it off when not in use;

unlike a tube power amp, the built-in Class D amp is not in any danger when you have no speaker con-

nected. Still, you may want to switch it off to reduce energy consumption.

Power Amp Booster

As mentioned, the power amp is connected to the Monitor Output, which provides enough headroom to

support even loud attacks and transients of clean guitars. However, this comfortable headroom will natu-

rally lower the signal volume for the power amp, so you might not achieve the desired loudness. Turning

up the Power Amp Booster will increase the loudness by up to 12dB. Although this will shrink the head-

room, this is no bad thing, as this happens in tube amps as well. Very loud signals and transients will then

be compressed by a nice, organic-sounding soft-clipping circuit.

Kemper Profiler28


28/136

p

When the power amp is switched off, the Power Amp Booster is deactivated, thus returning the full signal

headroom to the monitor output.

The internal power amp delivers 600 Watts at 8 Ohms; however, the wattage will be lowered to 300 Watts

when used at 16 Ohms.

WARNING!

Never connect an active device to the power amp output! Any active devices (such as power

soaks) that have a grounded circuit will destroy the power amp by creating a short cut.

Only passive speaker systems should be connected to the power amp output.

Please refrain from connecting devices with impedances lower than 8 Ohms, as the power amp

could be damaged.

USING THE TUNER 29


29/136

Using the tuner

The tuner LEDs above the chicken head knob are always active so you can monitor your tuning while you

play. Even when you’re not in tuning mode, the LEDs give you general information whether your guitar is

in tune or not. If a guitar string is far out of tune, only the outer LEDs will be on. If your string is closer to

proper tuning, the middle LED gets brighter. If your string is in tune, only the middle LED will be lit. So to

tune your strings, make sure that the white LED in the middle is on, and the surrounding green LEDs are

both off.

If you want a far more advanced tuner, you can use the chicken head knob to activate Tuner mode. When

Tuner mode is engaged, a large tuner graphic appears and addition, unique tuner functions become avail-

able:

Mute Signal This determines whether the audio is sent to the MASTER OUTPUTS or not. To tuneyour guitar silently, enable “Mute Signal”. The signal will then be muted, but onlywhile you’re in Tuner mode. This is a neat way to mute the signal temporarily; forexample, to avoid unwanted noise when you change guitars.

Master Tune Use “Master Tune” to adjust the base pitch of the tuner, in case you need to tuneyour guitar to something other than 440 Hz.

✔When the Tuner mode is enabled, the LEDs become more sensitive to softer levels.

Kemper Profiler30


30/136

Building a rig

If you have ever used a digital guitar processor before, you will know that building your own rigs is part of

the fun! In the Kemper Profiler you will find it surprisingly easy, as well. Simply bring any module or section

into focus, activate it, and select from a range of presets using the BROWSE knob. Tweak to your liking,

add spices if necessary. To help get you started, here is a brief overview of the available modules:

Stomp section

This is a mono section. It includes all the built-in stomp box simulations that you can place before (pre-)

your virtual amplifier stack. An idle stomp slot can be activated by pressing and holding the corresponding

Stomp A/B/C/D button. Once in focus, the soft button “Enable” recalls the default Wah algorithm. Alterna-

tively, use the Type knob to browse through all available stomp algorithms. Selecting an option will recall

the stomp and close the list browser.

♦ Stomp Types

There are several types of stomp boxes available in the stomp section, such as various Wah effects rang-

ing from bandpass to comb filters. There are also several distortion stomps available, which were modeled

after famous vintage pedals. On top of all this, modulation stomps such as Vintage Chorus, Hyper Chorus,

Vibrato, Air Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo and Rotary Speaker are included.

Most stomp parameters are self-explanatory, and a detailed overview of all available stomp parameters can

be found in the Reference Manual .

BUILDING A RIG 31


31/136

Stack section

This is your “amplifier stack” consisting of your amplifier profile, speaker cabinet profile, and EQ. Pressing

the STACK button and holding it for a short moment will enter the stack edit mode. You can rename the

stack using soft button “Rename” or browse through the available stacks using the BROWSE knob.

Amplifier module

Hold the AMPLIFIER button to display the amplifier settings.

♦ Definition

This parameter determines the way the preamp distorts when overdriven. Every guitar amp produces a dif-

ferent kind of distortion. The “Definition” parameter controls the characteristic fingerprint of the preamp.

The profiling process automatically sets “Definition” to the position that best represents the reference

amp.

Settings on the left of the parameter range Woody, muted, bluesy , or earthy textures with alimited dynamic range.

Settings in the middle of the parameter range Fat and creamy textures with a greater dynamicrange.

Settings at the right of the parameter range Sparkling, brilliant, interactive and boutique.

As you can see, by tweaking “Definition”, you can change the preamp distortion characteristic completely.

So you could, for example, use this control to modernize the profile of a vintage amp without having to

use additional stomps. Alternatively, start with a profile of a modern tube amp and use “Definition” to give

it a more vintage sound, when driven.

You can also use “Definition” to align the sound of your guitar to the sound of your amp, if required. Don’t

be afraid to experiment until you get the balance that sounds best to you.

Kemper Profiler32


32/136

♦ Power Sagging

Power sagging models the interaction between the guitar signal and the distortion stage. Often, you hear

guitarists talk about how the tubes “breathe” — that’s power sagging.

Increase the amount of “Power Sagging” to emphasize the velocity and energy of crunch sounds. The

guitar sound gains additional energy and presence, without raising the perceived volume of the distorted

signal.

When you turn “Power Sagging” beyond 50% you will go beyond what can be achieved with an analog

tube amp, but without losing any of the natural characteristics of the sound. At full force, “Power Sagging”

can make sparkling clean notes sound louder than distorted ones. In other words, you can use power sag-ging to expand the dynamic range of the original sound. At 0% the original dynamic range is maintained.

♦ Pick

This is another unique feature. It allows you to control the level and sharpness of the pick attack indepen-

dently from the sustained portion of the sound. The result is independent from the amount of distortion.

You can use this parameter to make clean sounds even more percussive without using a compressor. With

fully distorted sounds you can resurrect the attack phase of any notes that get drowned in the natural

compression caused by distortion. This will help you to make the riff cut through the mix more effectively.

If you set “Pick” to a negative value you will soften the attack, resulting in a more fluid sound.

♦ Compressor

The compressor in the stack section is different from the others, because it is a part of the simulated amp

circuit. In other words, it allows for completely different sounds compared to compressors that are insert-

ed before (pre-) or after (post) the amp section. Distorted signals are not affected by compression; only

clean signals will be boosted. The dynamics of your playing are fully retained. Depending on the strength

of your picking, you can go from a crunchy sound to a compressed, clean sound. The volume knob on your

guitar works exactly as you would expect: for instance, reducing the volume of your guitar will transform a

dynamic crunch into a clean, compressed sound with full energy.

✔ You can find more information regarding the remaining amp parameters in the Reference guide.

BUILDING A RIG 33


33/136

EQ button

Holding the EQ button will bring it into focus. The soft knobs underneath the display control the following

parameters for the EQ:

Soft Knob #1 Low frequency range.

Soft Knob #2 Mid frequency range.

Soft Knob #3 Treble frequency range.

Soft Knob #4 Presence.

Cabinet button

The CABINET button brings the cabinet section into focus. You can freely combine cabinets and amps

from different profiles to create new stacks, as well as tweak the following three parameters for every cabi-net:

♦ High Shift, Low Shift

Both of these parameters influence the characteristic formants of a cabinet profiles. “High Shift” will make

the higher formants more prominent, whereas “Low Shift” does the same for the lower ones. These con-

trols simulate the effect of changing the size of the cabinet.

♦ Character

Use this parameter to change the overall character of the cab. Turning the knob to the right will enlarge

the highs and lows in the frequency response curve. This will results in more presence, but may sound too

penetrating at extreme values. Turning it to the left will smooth the differences between the peaks andtroughs in the frequency response curve. Of course, this will also flatten the character of the cabinet. To-

Kemper Profiler34


34/136

wards the left most position, the sound will resemble that of analog cabinet simulations (which often have

a very limited frequency response and little character).

Effects section

The Effects section is where you can add stereo effects after (post-) the mono stomps section and the

amp stack. It consists of the following modules:

♦ X

The X stomp can use the same effects as the stomp boxes, but in stereo, which is especially useful with ef-

fects like chorus that spread the sound over the stereo image.

♦ Mod

MOD can also use the same effects as the stomp boxes. However, this module is equipped with hardwarecontrols which are designed to work specifically with modulation effects such as Chorus, Flanger, Phaser

or Rotary. For this reason we recommend saving this slot for these types of effects. Modulation rate and

intensity can be controlled using the dedicated RATE and INTENSITY knobs.

♦ Delay

These are the built-in delay effects. You can determine the stereo placement of the delay signals, the

rhythmic values of the repeats, and also the character of their sound. Delay feedback and mix can be con-

trolled conveniently using the dedicated hardware controls.

BUILDING A RIG 35


35/136

The Profiling Amplifier provides three types of delays in the DELAY module on the right.

Tap Delay The delay time is linked to the tempo as selected in RIG settings, or by the TAPtempo button.

Free Delay Delay time is freely adjustable in milliseconds, and independent from the TAPtempo. The delay time can be changed transparently, with no audible artifacts,which is also true for the tap delay.

Analog Delay Delay time is adjustable in milliseconds, like in the free delay. However, adjusting thedelay time will create those crazy pitch shifts or Doppler effects, known from thegood ol’ bucket brigade delays.

Beside these differences, all three delay types work in the same way, and offer easy ways to create mono

or stereo (ping pong) delays. Only the left delay tap will feed its signal back to both delay taps; this simpli-

fication will help you to create great rhythmic delay patterns without increasing the density of the sound.

More details about delay parameters can be found in the “Reference manual”.

♦ Delay LEDs

The delay LEDs will indicate the delay pattern by blinking in sync with the tempo.

♦ Reverb

This is the built-in reverb effect. It includes several room- and hall-type reverbs. The reverb’s TIME and MIX

parameters can be controlled with the dedicated hardware knobs on the upper half of the front panel.

✔ Both delay and reverb tails will even survive rig changes that use different delay and reverb settings. This

is called “spill over”.

Kemper Profiler36


36/136

Tap tempo

♦ Tap button

A number of effects allow timing parameters to be determined by the tempo of the song you play. These

include the delay time in the Tap Delay, and the rate parameter of the Phaser, Flanger, Tremolo and other

modulation effects. All factory rigs have the tempo disabled by default, as we cannot know in advance

what tempo you are going to need.

When no tempo has been set, these parameters will show you the absolute time values in Hertz or sec-

onds.

There are three ways to activate the tempo:

• Tap the desired tempo on the TAP button.

• Select the specific beats per minute (BPM) using the “Tempo” parameter within the rig menu.

• Send MIDI Clock from another device.

When the tempo is engaged and active, the respective rate parameters of the modulation effects will show

you musical values instead of absolute time values.

Between each regular musical value you will find dotted and triplet values. The unnamed values in be-

tween will rarely make musical sense, but will allow you to dial through the rates in a fine resolution, even

when the tempo is engaged.

You will also find a soft button labelled “Tempo Enable” in the rig menu. Here, you can enable/disable the

tempo, as required. To really get the most out of TAP tempo, you can assign a foot switch to this param-

eter, and simply tap the beat with your foot while you play.

✔ If a rig has a set tempo, all tempo related parameters are displayed in note values.

CONFIGURE YOUR SYSTEM PREFERENCES 37


37/136

Configure your system preferences

System button

Press SYSTEM to access the “global settings” pages. Global settings remain unaffected when you change

to another rig. Parameters in the system menu include “Pedal Settings”, “LED Intensities”, “Display Con-

trast”, “Time And Date”, among others.

Module button behavior

You have learned that the module buttons have two purposes:

•

Switch a module on or off (press button briefly). • Bringing a module into focus (hold the button for a little while).

If you feel uncomfortable with holding the module buttons to put an effect into the focus, you can change

the behavior of the buttons in the system menu by activating “Direct Edit”. In this mode a short push of a

module button puts the module into focus, just as the RIG or SYSTEM buttons do.

There are still two ways to switch a module on and off: either bring the effect into focus and use the ON

button, or hold the ON button while pressing the module buttons that you want to switch. This procedure

will work in any situation. Even while editing one effect, you can switch other effects on and off by holding

the ON button while you press the respective module buttons.

Kemper Profiler38


38/136

Using a MIDI pedal to switch rigs

You can assign a unique MIDI program change number to each rig, up to a maximum 128 rigs:

• Select a rig in Browse mode

• Press the SYSTEM button

• Navigate to the “Browse Mode PrgChg” page

• Use the soft knob to select a Program Change Number

• Press “Assign” to assign this number to the actual rig

Now here’s a deeper explanation of how the assignment works on this page: You can see two lines of text

on the display: the upper saying “Current Rig”, the lower “PrgChg#”. You can change the rig by using theRIG navigation keys, just as you would in Browse mode, but you don’t have to leave this page to do so. The

lower line shows the actual Program Change Number followed either by the name of the rig assigned to it,

or by “unassigned”. You can select a new number with the soft knob. Press “Assign” to link the actual rig to

the actual number. Any existing assignment to another rig will be lost. If you want to unassign an existing

link, choose the respective rig and press “Unassign”.

Rig button

This button is used to access rig-related parameters that are not covered elsewhere on the front panel. You

will find settings for the tempo and the volume pedal, as well as other features that are further described

in the Reference Manual.

Quick button

The QUICK button calls up a user-selectable page in an instant.

PERFORMANCE MODE 39


39/136

Performance mode

Performance mode is a powerful tool that allows you to organize rigs in ‘performances’. A total of 125 per-

formances are available, each of which can hold up to five rigs in one logical place. You could, for example,

use a performance to store the sounds dedicated to the intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and outro of a song,

and switch between them using a foot controller.

Editing Performances

You can navigate through the 125 performances using the UP and DOWN buttons of the navigation cross

on the front panel. Use the LEFT and RIGHT buttons to select a slot within a performance. By default, all

slots of each performance are pre-loaded with an initialized rig. The performance itself will have a default

name.

Once you have selected the slot, choose the rig you want to assign to it via the BROWSE knob. Once you

have made your selection, press EXIT, and the rig will show up in the highlighted slot. At this point, weshould mention that any edits will be lost if you select another performance without storing it first.

Rigs contained in performance slots are stored in a dedicated memory, so you can modify them indepen-

dently from their parent rigs in Browse mode. Editing rigs in Performance mode is very similar to Browse

mode.

The soft button “Arrange Slots” opens another page where you can easily rearrange and rename slots

within the selected performance. This concept is very similar to the STOMPS edit screen. You can COPY

and PASTE slots within and beyond performances.

The soft button “Arrange Performances” opens a screen where you can easily rearrange and rename per-

formances, for example if you want to order them according to the set list of your next concert.

Any adjustment you make to a performance will be lost if you forget to store it.

Kemper Profiler40


40/136

Switching Performances with a MIDI Foot Controller

Depending on the capabilities of your MIDI foot controller, we have prepared a couple of approaches to

select performances and slots via MIDI.

You can select any performance and rig directly via MIDI bank select and program change. The bank select

and program change numbers associated with any slot are displayed in the dark box, on the left hand side.

For example, slot 5 of performance 125 can be selected by choosing MIDI bank 5, followed by program

change 113.

Some foot controllers are not capable of sending MIDI bank select; however, you might still be able to use

MIDI control changes. We have added MIDI control change numbers to scroll up and down through the listof performances and select one of the five slots within the actual performance.

For more detailed information regarding remote control via MIDI please consult the Reference Manual.

UPDATES, BACKUP AND SHARING SOUNDS 41


41/136

Updates, backup and sharing sounds

The Kemper Profiler’s operating system can be updated to receive refinements and new features. All you

need is an internet connection, a PC or Mac and a USB stick.

Updating the operating system

Please perform the following simple steps to update your Kemper Profiler to a newer operating system:

You will need to use an empty USB stick in order to transfer the files from your Mac or PC to the Kemper

Profiler for the first time. When you connect a USB stick for the first time, the Kemper Profiler will format it

to ensure maximum reliability.

The next step is to download the latest operating system. Updates are free of charge and can be down-

loaded from the following URL:

www.kemperamps.com/start /

Expand the downloaded .zip archive and search for the update file called “kaos.bin” inside. Copy the file

into the “OS Update” folder on the pre-formatted USB stick using your Mac or PC. Next, unmount the USB

stick from your computer and plug it into the Kemper Profiler. Follow the on screen instructions which will

appear after a couple of seconds.

Creating and restoring backups

We recommend that you backup your rigs and performances on a regular basis. To do so, please plug the

prepared USB stick into your Kemper Profiler, switch to Browse mode, hit soft button “External Storage”

and you’ll be presented with the following options:

Kemper Profiler42

http://www.kemperamps.com/starthttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/kaos.binhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/kaos.binhttp://www.kemperamps.com/start


42/136

♦ Backup

Use this option to backup your Kemper Profiler. The backup will contain all user rigs, performances and

local presets. If an older backup is already present, it will not be deleted but renamed automatically. To

backup, select the soft button “Backup” and wait until you’re notified that the backup has been completed.

This procedure can take several minutes. Never remove the USB stick until you’re prompted to do so. All

successful backups can be found inside a folder called “Backups” on your USB stick.

♦ Restore

This option restores a backup from your USB stick to the Kemper Profiler. When multiple backups are de-

tected, the most recent one will automatically be restored. Confirm by selecting the soft button “Restore”

and wait until the procedure has been completed. Note that restoring a backup will replace all rigs, per-

formances and local presets with the backup. In order to merge a backup file with the existing content,

please proceed as follows:

Importing rigs, performances and local presets

Over time, we will give you access to a mind-blowing variety of the highest quality profiles and rigs. Those

and other goodies can be downloaded from our website here: www.kemperamps.com/start /

In order to transfer these files from your Mac or PC to your Kemper Profiler, please copy them to the direc-

tory called “Shared” on your dedicated USB stick. Next, plug the USB stick into the USB slot on the rear

panel of your Kemper Profiler and switch to Browse mode. Wait for a couple of seconds and then press the

soft button “External Storage.” You will then be presented with an option to import the new content. Im-

porting the content will merge the new data with your existing profiles, rigs and performances.

✔ Unlike other platforms, you don’t need to unmount the USB stick, you can simply remove it once the task

is completed.

✔ In certain cases you may want to merge a backup with the existing content. To do so, copy the backup in

question from the “Backups” to the “Shared” folder using your Mac or PC and perform an import as de-

scribed above.

KEMPER PROFILER AND MIDI 43

http://www.kemperamps/starthttp://www.kemperamps/start


43/136

Kemper Profiler and MIDI

You can use MIDI to send program changes to switch between rigs. You can send MIDI messages to the

Kemper Profiler either using your computer and a MIDI interface, or by using a dedicated MIDI control

pedal. For more detailed information please consult the Reference Manual.

Kemper Profiler44


44/136

45


45/136

Profiling Guide

Kemper Profiler46


46/136

Profiling an amp

Now we’re getting to the fun stuff! Profiling your own amp, custom digital simulation, or favorite stomp

box is what sets the Kemper Profiler apart from every other digital amplifier out there. We’ve spent years

getting our profiling system to deliver the goods in terms of sound quality, playability, and ease of use —

all wrapped in a user-friendly interface. So while there’s a lot of science and technology behind the con-

cept of profiling, you’ll find that it’s quite easy to actually do; this guide can show you the basics and get

you started right away.

General considerations

In order to make a profile, the original amplifier (which we will refer to as the “reference amp” ) has to be

connected to the Kemper Profiler using the DIRECT OUTPUT and the RETURN INPUT on the back. The

Kemper Profiler then sends various tones and signals into the reference amp — it will sound like warbles

and static at various pitches and intensities, in other words: not too musical! To get technical for a mo-

ment: these dynamically-changing sounds allow the Kemper Profiler to learn about the nonlinear behavior

of the tube architecture and the dimensions of the passive components in the original amp. The Kemper

Profiler then listens to how the reference amp reproduces these sounds and analyzes the results. These

characteristics are then recreated in the virtual signal flow of the Kemper Profiler. Even the characteristics

of the speaker cabinet and microphones, including all the frequency buildups and cancellations, are de-

tected and become a part of the profile.

If that sounds a bit complicated, don’t worry about it. The important thing to understand is that those

weird sounds are how the Kemper Profiler determines the unique way that your reference amp changesthe sound of your guitar dynamically over time. With the information the Kemper Profiler gets from those

weird sounds, it is able to create a digital profile of your reference amp.

You can also profile solid-state amps and modeling amps, although the results from profiling modeled

amps can sometimes be underwhelming. The reason for this is that some emulations try to mimic the typi-

cal tube sound using techniques that don’t necessarily match the analog reality.

PROFILING AN AMP 47


47/136

♦ Profiling with effects in the recording chain

Many guitarists get their signature sound by combining distortion pedals, booster pedals and equalizers/

filters with a tube amp. If you want to do this, you can keep these in the signal chain during the profiling

process — they will all be accurately profiled as a part of the reference amp sound. However, there is one

exception: some distortion pedals use a special design that cannot be profiled accurately, for instance the

Tube Screamer.

If you do include your effects chain with your amp profile, but are not happy with the result, try again

without the distortion pedal. Remember, you can always use one of the modeled distortion pedals in the

Kemper Profiler instead when building your rig.

Other effects should be bypassed during the profiling process because they will adversely affect the re-

sult, making it sound less natural and different to the original amp tone. These include: compressors, noise

gates, and time/modulation/reverb effects such as delay, reverb, chorus, and so on.

You might also run into trouble when profiling a sound in which both the pre- and power amps of the ref-

erence amplifier are driven into distortion. If the resulting profile sounds unsatisfying, try to reduce the vol-

ume of the power amp. This will make the result sound somewhat more transparent, without significantly

reducing the amount of distortion. The same is true for those modeling amps which offer a separate gain

control for pre- and power amp.

The Kemper Profiler only allows for mono profiling. Stereo profiling is not currently supported, but really,

how many classic guitar amps feature true stereo circuitry, anyway?

Since the Kemper Profiler sends its own test-tones into the reference amp during profiling, it should be ob-

vious that the sound of your guitar isn’t part of the result. The Kemper Profiler is designed to react to any

guitar in an identical way to the reference amp that was profiled.

♦ Monitoring while taking profiles

The output of the reference amp can be monitored through the outputs of the Kemper Profiler. This way,

you can switch between listening to the original reference amp signal and the profiled version using the

soft buttons in the profiling mode. In fact, we recommend that in order to avoid any confusion between

what you are hearing and what the Kemper Profiler is profiling, the reference amp should only be moni-

Kemper Profiler48


48/136

tored using the Kemper Profiler. To ensure that you are only hearing your reference amplifier through the

Kemper Profiler, it’s a good idea to place the speaker cabinet of the reference amp in a different room (in

other words, somewhere you won’t hear it) and away from the monitor system you are using for the Kem-

per Profiler. Keep in mind that this will not change the result of the profiling process in any way, but willmake A/B comparisons between the reference amp and the Kemper Profiler much easier.

If you want to make profiles of computer-based amp simulations, but without using any kind of external

mixer for monitoring purposes, you need to be careful not to create a feedback loop. One easy way to

avoid potential feedback loops is by using only headphones to monitor the output of the Kemper Profiler

while profiling. You can also make appropriate settings in your DAW to prevent the output signal of the

Kemper Profiler from being routed back into the Kemper Profiler.

♦ Considerations regarding noise and hum

If you’re profiling a very high-gain sound, you’ll probably hear a certain amount of noise from your guitar

amp. This is the well-known “high-gain hiss” and nothing unusual. However, if you detect hum, or other

noisy artifacts, from your reference amp then you probably have a ground loop. Press the GROUND LIFT

switch on the back of the Kemper Profiler for both the MAIN OUTPUTS and the RETURN INPUT. If that

does not solve the problem, try different combinations using the other GROUND LIFT switches. It is impor-

tant that at least one of the GROUND LIFT switches is not pressed to make sure that the Kemper Profiler

has at least one ground connection.

✔ Remember that hum and noise is undesirable and might have a negative influence on the profiling process.

Often, the best results are achieved by pressing the GROUND LIFT buttons for all outputs except for the

DIRECT OUT.

♦ Other considerations

✔Make sure that you are hearing the previously-selected rig in the Kemper Profiler when you set the A/B

comparison to “Kemper amp”, and the to “Reference Amp” when you switch to reference amp. If you

don’t, re-connect your reference amp to the Kemper Profiler.

✔ Playing back profiles over the MONITOR OUT using a regular guitar cabinet is one of the main features of

the Kemper Profiler, but it is not recommend to use a guitar cabinet as a reference monitor for a profiling

PROFILING AN AMP 49


49/136

session. For best results it is crucial to do the profiling session in a typical studio setting using linear studio

monitors or a PA.

✔ If your amp provides a spring reverb, remember to turn it off for the profiling process.

Kemper Profiler50


50/136

Making connections

Connections for profiling a hardware guitar amp

Here are a few typical scenarios for the most common profiling setups:

• Connect your guitar to the INPUT jack of the Kemper Profiler.

• Connect the DIRECT OUTPUT/SEND of the Kemper Profiler to the guitar input of your hardware amplifier. • Connect your microphone or microphone preamp to the RETURN INPUT jack of the Kemper Profiler (use

either the XLR or quarter-inch input depending on your microphone or microphone preamp).

KEMPER PROFILING AMPLIFIER

Input

Direct Out / Send Main Outs

Main Outs

Return

Guitar In Reference Amp

Cabinet

MAKING CONNECTIONS 51


51/136

The above assumes that you are miking the speaker cabinet connected to your reference amp. If you are

taking a direct, cabinet-simulated output either from the amp itself, or from a speaker load box such as the

Hughes & Kettner Redbox or Palmer boxes, you can connect the line-out from a load box directly to the

RETURN INPUT of your Kemper Profiler.

The reference amp that you want to profile has to be connected to the Kemper Profiler in such a way that

only the Kemper Profiler will send and receive the signals. This effectively turns the Kemper Profiler into a

monitoring device.

Avoid any other connections that might lead to confusion and end up corrupting the results. For example,

if you want to use several microphones with your reference amp you should route the signals of these

microphones to a subgroup of your mixer, and then route the output of that subgroup directly to the PRO-

FILING INPUT. You can use the EQ and phase switches on the mixer to optimize the mix. Make sure that

the signal is only routed to the KEMPER PROFILER and isn’t duplicated at the main outs of the mixer.


Input

Direct Out / Send Main Outs

Main Outs

Return

Output


Cabinet

Kemper Profiler52


52/136

It’s a good idea to make the Kemper Profiler the central hub for all your guitar recordings and use it as

your main switching device. That way you can use all of your favorite amps alongside the internal effects

of the Kemper Profiler. Once you’ve finished recording, it will only take a few button pushes to preserve

the exact sound for future use.

Connections for profiling a combination of amp and stomp box

• Connect your guitar to the INPUT of the Kemper Profiler.

• Connect the DIRECT OUTPUT/SEND from the Kemper Profiler to the input of your stomp box.

• Connect the output of the stomp box to the input of your reference amplifier .

• Connect the microphone or microphone preamp to the RETURN INPUT of the Kemper Profiler.


Input

Direct Out / SendMain Outs

Main Outs

Return

Stomp


Cabinet

MAKING CONNECTIONS 53

✔


53/136

✔ The Kemper Profiler can only accurately profile preamp stomp boxes such as overdrive and distortion ped-

als, Eqs and filters, tube preamp pedals, and so on. Attempting to profile a delay, reverb or modulation

pedal is unlikely to work as expected. In other words: your mileage might vary.

Connections for profiling a computer-based guitar amp

simulation

• Connect your guitar to the INPUT of the Kemper Profiler. • Connect the DIRECT OUTPUT/SEND from the Kemper Profiler to the appropriate input on your computer’s

audio interface.

• Route the output of your guitar amp simulation software to a specific hardware output of your computer’s

audio interface.

• Connect the output in question to the RETURN INPUT of the Kemper Profiler.

✔When profiling a guitar amp simulation, be sure to switch off the noise gate in your guitar amp simulation

software.

Kemper Profiler54

fi


54/136

Taking a profile

Once the reference amp is setup just the way you like it, it’s time to start profiling Don’t worry, once you

read through this guide and tried it for yourself, we are sure you’ll agree that profiling is a very simple and

straightforward process.

Start by choosing a rig in Browse mode. It’s a good idea to choose a profile that is somewhat related in

character to the reference amp. This will give you the chance to compare the existing rig with that of the

setup you are about to profile, thereby ensuring that you get a result that is even better suited to your

needs. ✔ Switch off any effects loop in the rig you have chosen, to prevent your reference amp from sitting in the

effects loop of its own profile. Effects loops are indicated by the LED color white.

Using other built-in Kemper Profiler effects in the reference rig while you are profiling is not a problem.

Those effects you have engaged will still be audible when you switch to your reference amp, so you can

configure the Kemper Profiler’s stomp boxes and other effects in the Profiling amp to suit your reference

amp tone, even before taking the profile. When you have taken the profile and stored it as a part of a new

rig, all the stomps and effects that were part of the original rig will be stored also.

✔ If you prefer a pure sound with no effects, you can either switch any stomps and effects off prior to profil-

ing, or choose a rig with no active stomps and effects.

Next, turn the chicken-head to the Profiler position. At this point, you will still hear the previously selected

rig. Use the soft buttons to switch between the reference amp and the Kemper Profiler/profile.

♦ levels

Set the Return Level (Soft Knob 4) so that the level of the reference amp roughly equals the level of the in-

ternal sound of the Kemper Profiler. You can check level differences by switching back and forth between

the current rig and your reference amp. If the Output LED turns red when you play your reference ampli-

fier, the level is too hot. You might notice audio clicks when you turn the Return Level; this is the analog

Return Input stage switching the level in the analog domain, to ensure the best signal-to-noise ratio. Thisfeature allows you to capture any signal level, from the softest microphone to the hottest studio level out-

TAKING A PROFILE 55

put. Don’t worry too much about achieving a perfect volume match; during the profiling procedure the Re-


55/136

turn Level will be further fine-tuned automatically to match the unity level of the Kemper Profiler.

Please remember to leave a few decibels of headroom in your microphone preamps and the rest of thesignal chain. The test signals can get a bit louder than a regular guitar signal, and might cause clipping in

your signal chain if you don’t leave enough headroom. Be sure to watch your level meters while the profil-

ing is in progress, just to be sure there are no overloads.

Press the soft button labeled “Next”.

On this page you can inform the Kemper Profiler whether the sound you want to profile is clean or dis-

torted by pressing the appropriate soft buttons. If your reference amp has a clean sound you can set the

Kemper Profiler to “Clean”. In truth, this step isn’t strictly necessary; the Kemper Profiler will detect if the

reference amp is clean automatically during the profiling process. However, if you already know you’re

profiling a clean amp, setting the Kemper Profiler to “Clean” before you begin profiling will ensure that no

extremely loud signals are sent to the reference amp.

Why might you want to do this? Remember, a clean amplifier has a wider dynamic range than a distorted

amp (because amp distortion also has a compressing effect), so pressing “Clean” can save your monitoring

equipment and your ears. To profile a distorted sound, press — you guessed it — “Distorted”. You can alsouse the EQ in this page to further shape the sound of the reference amp before you start profiling.

As soon as you select “Start profiling”, the Kemper Profiler will send measurement signals (those weird

sounds we talked about at the beginning of this guide) to the reference amp.

Evaluating the ProfileOnce the Profiling procedure has ended, you can make the first A/B comparisons between your reference

amp and the new profile. Use the soft buttons to switch between the reference amp and the Kemper Pro-

filer/profile. You might notice that your reference amp is not muted when you listen to the internal profile;

this is intentional, as the acoustic signal of your reference amp will always mix with the sound of your stu-

dio monitors, even if you have it in a separate room. While this may influence your perception of the sound

through the studio monitors, it shouldn’t affect the A/B comparison. However, if your reference amp was

Kemper Profiler56

muted everytime you switched back to the Kemper Profiler/profile, a valid A/B comparison would be im-


56/136

possible.

When you are satisfied with the A/B comparison, you may wish to evaluate the pure profile; in this case, itwould make sense to mute your reference amp. Press the ON/OFF button to mute the reference amp; any

other action will unmute it again.

Refining the profile

After the automatic profiling procedure, the profile is nearly done and very close to the original already.

Now it’s time to give it the final polish: press “Refine Profile” and play your guitar for about 20 seconds.

This is no time for a meaningful solo - you need to play several chords, with attitude! This will generate

intermodulation in the distortion that the Kemper Profiler needs to do its refining. Be sure to strum es-

pecially hard so that the Kemper Profiler has a chance to analyze the transients. When you feel that you

have refined the profile enough, press the blinking soft button to stop the process. Now make another A/B

comparison to check the result. Repeat the process if necessary as many times as needed.

The Refining process is actually independent of the type of your guitar. It is about adapting the distortion

characteristics, as well as polishing the attack and dynamic response. The resulting profile will act and re-

spond accurately no matter what guitar or pickup you use.

With completely clean sounds, you don’t need to worry about refining the distortion characteristics, so

“Refine profile” isn’t available. If you find that the profile offers a wider dynamic range, and a higher vol-

ume in the transients compared to the original, the reason is probably that the original sound was, in fact,

slightly distorted. This would have caused a small amount of compression, thereby affecting the result of

the profiling process. In such a case, simply repeat the whole procedure, but without using the “Clean” op-

tion.

Power amp tubes generate a different type of overtone structure than preamp tubes. They distort with a

harsher sound, because the negative feedback in the power amp circuit linearizes the tube amplification.

This makes the distortion curve edgier. If you notice in the A/B comparison that the reference amp pro-

duces more high frequency distortion when light distortion is applied, you should set the “Tube Shape”

parameter to about 9.0, to get the same behavior from the profile.

TAKING A PROFILE 57



57/136


Once you are happy with the result of the profiling, you can store the sound in the Kemper Profiler as a

new rig. We highly recommend that you save the profile before you start modifying its parameters to pre-serve the original settings.

Congratulations! You have added a new amp and a new cabinet to your Kemper Profiler’s arsenal. You are

now free to combine each of them with other amps or cabinets in the Kemper Profiler to create new hy-

brid stacks.

You will notice that the GAIN knob is automatically set to the same (audible) position as the reference amp

and the amp volume is the same as the other amp volumes to make it easy to compare different amps. The

actual gain range of the Kemper Profiler is probably much larger than your original amp. This means that

you can play the new profile from ultra clean to super distorted, even if you couldn’t do so on the refer-

ence amp itself.

In those situations where the reference amp was clean, the GAIN knob will be set to the minimum position,

while retaining all of the original volume. Of course, you’ll have no trouble turning up the GAIN knob to dis-

tort this sound if you want to! Inside the Kemper Profiler, the “Preamp Definition” parameter has been set

to the center position, and can be modified at any time.

When it comes to crunch or high-gain sounds, the “Preamp Definition” value is automatically set to a posi-

tion that matches the reference amp. You can thus identify the virtual age of the reference amp and even

modify it on-the-fly.

W

Kemper Profiler Basics EN-DE 2.0.pdf

Documents

Transcript of Kemper Profiler Basics EN-DE 2.0.pdf